Apparatus for constructing building walls



' Dec. 20, 1960 D. E. MEEHAN 2,964,321

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING WALLS Filed July 5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig I .DONALD E. MEEHAN INVENTOR.

- ATTORN EY Dec. 20, 1960 D. E. MEEHAN 2,964,821

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING WALLS Filed July 5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 DONALD E. MEEHAN INVENTOR.

2 w m \1 F 4w ,AWWIAMPIEW If I -i ww W /W A AT'TO RN E Dec. 20, 1960 MEEHAN 2,964,821

APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING BUILDING WALLS Filed July 5, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet DONALD E. MEEHAN INVENTOR.

ATTORNE Fit; 5

"This invention relates tofan apparatus 'for' constructing viscous-material. a V "The '-'p-res'e'nt invention contemplates 'low ees mass produetion "t'ype construction of high strength building walls having extremely lowheat conductivity, my cons'tructionmethod making the use of pouring forms unnecessary. By employingthe apparatus ofthis invention a wall having either two or three layers may be produced. The tw'o layer' wall includes an'outer layer of prefabricatedpan'els or" material having low heat conductivity, to the' innersurface of which is bonded andtied a heavily reinforced relatively thick layer of concrete or other self hardening viscous material, the thick layer including spaeed internal voids'or hollow spaces of relatively large velumeseparated by spaced upright and'intersecting int 'gralhorizontal-columns and beams'of the 'cementitious material. Thethree'l-ay'ervvall includes a reinforced layer of tlie 'ceinentit'ions niat'e'rial' outside the prefabricated insulat'ing paneuayer, both of' thelcementitious layers being bond'cl to an' separated'l liy the insulating layer; and an thre 'ers fig'tie'd 'o'geth'er by wall tiebars'of material avmg very low -heat e'ondn'c'tivity *e'rnbdded 'in the estimations layers.

Iu each sase tne --layers '6f 'c'erne'fntitious "material are built up- 6 f the iiesifedthickne'ss b'y' "discharging droplets of the viscons matei-ial direetly against a fo'rming barrier at an angle substantiallynoimalitheieto, the barrier ultimately constituting an integral part of "the wall.

ltis thejchief object of the invention to provideawan construction which is simple, low cost-and efiieient; which can be 'c'a r'ried' outbynnskill'e'd labor;'iwhich produces a finished w all which is much strongerthan'those pr'o'duced bvconven'tinnal methods {and which produeeswalls which have much-more efiicient insul at ing characteristics "than pourewconcr'ete, block walls, =or wooden 'fi'ainewalls.

Ihie-invntion} together "With other obj'e'cts, will 'bemor'e clearly understood when the following description is read inconnectio'n with the accompanying drawin'gs,iin whichz building walls "(if cdncr'etwor any other self-hardening Figure 1- is a fragr'rle'iita'u y' perspective view of a wall beingconstrutedin accord-ance wi'th my invention, parts being em awa and sh'own in section" to disclose details, the "view 'liei'ti'g taken facing the inner surface "of the similar to "Figure "1, but is taken stage in the' eonstfu ion} Figure 3"is a fragmeiitary vertical transverse view taken orig" the line 3 'of Figure 2;

F-igure" '41s *a fragmentary horizontal transverse *s'ecneaarview taren ih'the plane iridicatedby the'line *4in Fight-e2;

Figure '5 is a "vertical-"transverse sectional {view taken y he -line 5 5 of'Fig'ure 6; partial ve'rt-ial longitudinal sectional view taken along a wall constructed in accordance-withany.

2,964,821 7 Pzifented Dec. 20, 1960 2 invention, a portion of the inner wall layer "be'in removea toshow dejtails'; a

Figures7 and 8 "are perspeetive andfiat pattern views respeetively ofa holding clip"c'onstituting'a part of the apparatus of invention;

Figures 9 and 10-are fragmentary horizontaltransverse "sectional views taken-in the plane indicated by the line 9 "in' Figure 1, at diiferent stages in the wall construction; and r v Figure I1 is a'frag'ment'ary' vertical transverse sectional view taken along the line 11- 11 of Figure 9.

In the ensuing description like numerals designate like parts. The'p'r'efe'rred apparatus of "this invention will be explained concurrently. 7

Referring firstto Figures land 2 of thedrawing's, any desire'd'typ'e'of wallfoundation Z0 is first provided and preferably includes partially embedded upright Wall anchor bars '22 and similarly embedded threaded upright studs 24 along its ou'ter marginal top surface.

The bases of a plurality of upright rigid generally planar ijig sections 26 are anchored along the outer marginal top surface of the foundation by means of the studs '24,'and nuts. These jig sections are held in a' vertical plane by rigid slanting struts 28.

Next a plurality of relatively thick insulation panels 32 are secured in a common vertical plane flat against the assembled jig sections, with the lower edges of the panels in contact with the foundation, and their adjacent side edges abutting. Each panel is provided with properly 1ocatedth'rough apertures through which rigid wall tiebars 30 project as a means of supporting the panels, as clearly shown in Figure 11. These tie bars are preferably of glass fiber reinforced molded plastic construction which gives jthem'the characteristic of very low heat "conductivity.

As clea'rlyshown in Figures 3 and 4, these tie barsare formed with a central 'annul'arshoulder 34and a portion 3.6 of reduced diameter extending outwardly therefrom. Near'its "opposite "ends each tie bar is "providedwith an immun -groove, the grooves being "designated by themrnerals '38an'd 40. I a

'Before' the'tieba'rs 30 "are inserted through the "perforationsin the panels "32 each bar is first inserted through a centralfaperture"in a sheet metal holding clip 42', such aperture being smaller in diameter than the 'tie bar shoulder 34. 7

As clearly 'shown in Figure 11, the extreme outer grooved end of each tie bar extends through a correspondingly located aperture in a'flarige44 of one of the u rightframemembers of one of the jig'sections 26,. and into a U shaped-hous'ing46 rigidlysec'ured to such flange, asby welding. A tie bar locking pin 48 is inserted through aligned small apertures in the two legs of 'housing 46, and the apertures are so located that the intermediate'portion of pin 48 seats in the annular groove 38 of th'e'tie bar, thus'firmly locking and supporting the tie bar in the jig section upright. The tie bars thus not only serve as true tie bars to bind the 'various layers of the wall together uuanately, but also serve as means for s'lifipoitingthe"insulation panel'sin' proper positions durin'gall o'nstruction. They 'also' ser' ve other'supporting funetions as will'be 'eiiplained herein.

After the tie bars -30, ins'ulation panels 32, and holding clips 42 have been assembled as just described, a plurality of hollow generally channel section box-like surface masking and "void forming members 50 and 5 2 are mounted on the inner'su'rfaces of the various insulation panels, asclearlyshown in Figures 1, 5, 6, 9' and '10. These members will hereinafter be referred to simply as box-like members'50, 52, and their functions will 'be more fully explained,

clearly "shown in'Figui-es '1 and .9, th box-like members 50, 52 are held in position on panels 32 by means of the opposite triangular shaped knife-like ends 54, 56 of the clips 42. The clip construction is clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8. After the box-like members are positioned against the panel surface, it is only necessary to manually force the ends of clips 42 through the side flanges of adjacent box-like members. Incidentally the box-like members are preferably made of corrugated paper board, or similar material.

As indicated in Figure 6, these box-like members 50, 52 are preferably arranged in spaced vertically aligned rows as well as in spaced horizontally aligned rows.

Next vertical reinforcing bars 58 and intersecting horizontal reinforcing bars 60 are positioned in the vertically and horizontally aligned spaces between the various boxlike members, these reinforcing bars being supported in the mentioned positions by wires 62 anchoring them to the tie bars 30, and to each other, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 9. If it is desired to enclose electrical conduits, water supply pipes, heat ducts, etc. in the wall such conduits and pipes are similarly located and supported temporarily by being suspended from various ones of the jig supported tie bars.

Reinforcing mats 64 of heavy mesh wire are next arranged edge to edge and fiat against the inner webs of the box-like members 50, 52, and are supported in such position by having certain of their horizontal strands seated in the annular grooves 40 at the inner ends of the tie bars 30, as clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 9.

The basic skeleton structure of the wall is now complete, and a self-hardening viscous material is now applied from the inner side of the wall directly against the exposed portion of the insulating panels, against the box-like members, in and around the reinforcing bars, pipes, conduits, etc., until all the skeleton structure thus far described, including the wire mesh reinforcing mats are completely covered, and the vertical and horizontal spaces between the sides and ends of the box-like members are completely filled with the viscous material. This viscous material, concrete mix, or the like may be applied by hand by throwing the material through the wire reinforcing mat with a trowel or similar tool, if desired. However, the material is preferably applied by discharging it in droplet form through a nozzle, under pressure. Several types of pressure apparatus for applying such material are commercially available. It is ordinarily applied in a direction substantially normal to the forming barrier, which in this case comprises both the unmasked or exposed portions of the insulating panels, as well as the exposed surfaces of the box-like members.

While it may appear to those unfamiliar with this art that viscous or cementitious material applied in this manner would fall downward into the open ends of the boxlike members 50, 52 and fill their interiors, such is not the case, and there is no need whatever to provide closures for the upper ends of these box-like members.

After application, the viscous cementitious material is given time to set or harden until it becomes self-supporting.

Immediately thereafter, or at any other desired time thereafter, the small lock pins 48 are removed from the grooves 38 in the outer ends of the tie bars, the nuts are removed from the threaded studs 24 in the foundation, and all jig sections 26 are removed from theirassociation with the wall. The outer surfaces of the insulating panels may now be coated with paint or any other suitable coating material, or may be covered and protected by stucco or by a veneer layer of bricks.

Preferably, however, my invention contemplates the completion of the wall thus far described by arranging a plurality of heavy wire mesh reinforcing mats 66 (Figure 2) adjacent and substantially parallel to the outer surfaces of the insulating panels 32, and supporting these mats in the positions shown in Figure 2 by seating cer- 4 tain horizontal strands thereof in the grooves of certain of the tie bars, and using tie wires 62, if necessary, to properly anchor the mats.

Next a layer of the self-hardening viscous cementitious material is applied against the outer surface of the assembled insulating panels to completely cover and embed the reinforcing mats and projecting ends of the various tie bars, in the manner previously described with respect to the inner portion of the wall. After'this outer layer 68 of cementitious material has hardened the wall is complete.

The wall thus formed includes a heavily reinforced outer cementitious layer 68 firmly anchored to a heavily reinforced inner layer 70 of cementitious material by means of completely buried tie bars having very low heat conductivity, completely separated by a layer of insulating material to prevent transmission of heat, cold and moisture in either direction through the wall. In addition the wall is provided with spaced voids or dead air spaces, and with solid integral upright and horizontal beams which give it extreme strength to resist compression forces as well as horizontally applied bending loads arising from high velocity winds.

Having described the apparatus of this invention with sufficient clarity to enable those familiar with this art to construct the wall, I claim:

1. Apparatus for aid in constructing a building wall on a preconstructed foundation comprising a rigid self-supporting holding jig structure which is independent of any permanent part of the wall structure to be produced, and adapted to be removably mounted on said foundation in a generally vertical plane within the upwardly projected outlines thereof, a plurality of tie bar socket members carried by the jig structure in predetermined spaced relation on the outer face thereof, a plurality of elongated wall tie bars arranged above said foundation with their long axes normal to the plane in which said jig structure lies and with the respective opposite ends thereof disposed within but adjacent to the upwardly projected outlines of the foundation, said wall tie bars extending through the plane of the jig structure and having their outer end portions seated within and detachably connected to the respective socket members, a plurality of flat rigid panel members arranged adjacent to and generally parallel to the jig structure, said panel members being arranged in edge to edge relation in a common plane with the lower edges of the lowermost panels in contact with the top surface of the foundation, all of said panels being provided with openings in registry with the socket members in the jig structure and through which apertures the wall tie bars pass, thereby to support the panels from said jig structure, the free ends of said tie bars projecting beyond the surface of the panel members remote from the jig structure, and panel positioning means carried by said wall tie bars in position to engage the face of the panel members remote from said jig structure to position the panel members with respect theretoyvoid forming members mounted on the face of the panel remote from the jig structure, and means provided on the wall tie members for positioning the void forming members and for securing them in position on the face of the panel, said panel positioning means and said void-forming-member positioning and securing means comprises clip members mounted on the respective tie bars, the clip members comprising a central portion having an aperture to receive the tie bar and portions extending laterally of the tie bar and engaging the adjacent face of the panel members, said central portion of the clip members having edge portions which engage and define the position of the void forming members, said clip members also including bendable prongs which are pressed into supporting engagement with the voidforming members to support the same in position on the panel members.

2. Apparatus for aid in constructing a building wall on a preconstructed foundation comprising a rigid selfsupporting holding jig structure which is independent of any permanent part of the wall structure to be produced, and adapted to be removably mounted on said foundation in a generally vertical plane within the upwardly projected outlines thereof, a plurality of tie bar socket members carried by the jig structure in predetermined spaced relation on the outer face thereof, a plurality of elongated wall tie bars arranged above said foundation with their long axes normal to the plane in which said jig structure lies and with the respective opposite ends thereof disposed within but adjacent to the upwardly projected outlines of the foundation, said wall tie bars extending through the plane of the jig structure and having their outer end portions seated within and detachably connected to the respective socket members, means detachably connecting the tie bars within said socket members comprising aligned apertures provided in the walls of said socket members, a transverse locking pin passed through said apertures and engaged with a transverse shoulder formation provided on the tie bar, a plurality of fiat rigid panel members arranged adjacent to and generally parallel to the jig structure, said panel members being arranged in edge to edge relation in a common plane with the lower edges of the lowermost panels in contact with the top surface of the foundation, all of said panels being provided with openings in registry with the socket members in the jig structure and through which apertures the wall tie bars pass, there by to support the panels from said jig structure, the free ends of said tie bars projecting beyond the surface of the panel members remote from the jig structure, and panel positioning means carried by said wall tie bars in position to engage the face of the panel members remote from said jig structure to position the panel members with respect thereto, void forming members mounted on the face of the panel remote from the jig structure, and means provided on the wall tie members for positioning the void forming members and for securing them in position on the face of the panel, said panel positioning means and said void-forming-member positioning and securing means comprises clip members mounted on the respective tie bars, the clip members comprising a central portion having an aperture to receive the tie bar and portions extending laterally of the tie bar and engaging the adjacent face of the panel members, said central portion of the clip members having edge portions which engage and define the position of the void forming members, said clip members also including bendable prongs which are pressed into supporting engagement with the void-forming members to support the same in position on the panel members.

3. The apparatus described in claim 2 wherein said tie bar members are provided with transverse shoulder formations engaged with the adjacent faces of the respective clip members and urging said clip members into surface contact with the inner face of said panel members when the locking pins are engaged with the ends of the tie bar members disposed within said socket members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,699 Brown Feb. 3, 1920 1,533,324 Mack Apr. 14, 1925 1,775,234 Brostrom Sept. 9, 1930 1,909,417 Nieman May 16, 1933 1,963,982 Garrett June 26, 1934 2,171,524 Gates Sept. 5, 1939 2,261,575 Ulrich Nov. 4, 1941 2,309,147 Wilkinson Jan. 26, 1943 2,318,058 Colburn May 4, 1943 2,326,010 Crom Aug. 3, 1943 2,332,166 Reiner Oct. 19, 1943 2,418,580 Crom Apr. 8, 1947 2,455,455 West Dec. 7, 1948 2,476,135 Colburn July 12, 1949 2,595.123 Callan Apr. 29, 1952 2,645,929 Jones July 21, 1953 2,653,469 Callan Sept. 29, 1953 

